Please keep in your prayers those who will have received or who will be getting public exam results in the near future. We pray that all concerned will have the results they are seeking but are mindful that this will not universally be the case; we pray especially for the guidance and consolation of the Holy Spirt and soundness of mind and heart in situations both of joy and thanksgiving and sorrow and upset.
Further to the note, care of ACN, in last weekend’s newsletter (below), about the town of Taybeh, the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales in their ‘weekly roundup’ inform us that the town has become ‘a closed military zone’ under the auspices of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). Being a closed military zone, it means that Israelis, foreign nationals, and journalists are prohibited from entering. “It is claimed that this is designed to prevent attacks on residents by Israeli settlers, but it is far from clear that this move will achieve that objective. The Israeli government must find a way of protecting the legitimate communities from settler violence whilst allowing citizens to go about their normal business. This ban will lead to a vital loss of income from tourism and pilgrimages and, thereby, international scrutiny on the situation.” You can read more on the matter at:- https://www.cbcew.org.uk/bishop-james-curry-on-the-declaration-of-taybeh-asa-closed-military-zone/ where the Bishop’s Conference urge you to write to your MP on the matter. The ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ article can be found at: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/6c13c05d80.html#page/4 Since writing, you will have heard on the news that other villages in the West Bank are also designated as ‘closed military zones’. ----------------------------------------- Taybeh, the last entirely Christian town in the West Bank, is at risk of becoming a ghost town. Christians have probably lived there since apostolic times and the town is mentioned in John’s Gospel by the older name of Aephraim. Jesus withdrew there shortly before his crucifixion (John 11:54). But since June 2025 Taybeh has seen increasing attacks by extremist Jewish settler. The remains of the fifth-century Church of St. George have been vandalised, as has the nearby cemetery. Cars have been set ablaze and properties torched. Agricultural land has been destroyed and farmers stopped from entering their olive groves. And in March 2026 settlers seized a quarry and factory on the town’s edge. Parish priest Dr. Bashar Fawadleh said Israeli soldiers have failed to help Taybeh’s Christians when the town has been attacjked: “They didn’t protect us, they didn’t stop the settlers, and this is because they protect settlers, because a lot of the soldiers come from settler communities – and they are encouraged by the fanatical elements in the government.” The February 2026 cabinet decision to support the expansion of Israeli Settlements in the West bank placed further strain on Taybeh. “The general climate has become more fragile and tense, with an increase in military operations, traffic restrictions due to the installation of military gates at several entrances to the city.” Soldiers decide when gates are open “disrupting the daily lives of civilians,” Fr. Bahar said. The priest added some families had already left Taybeh and others were “seriously considering it.” Fr. Bashar told CAN he understood the fears families had for their children, but that Taybeh’s Christian presence is a living testimony to the Faith “in this land where Christianity was born. Leaving the land is sometimes a human necessity, but staying is often an act of faith and hope.” With just 1,400 souls left in Taybeh, Fr. Bashar has asked for prayers that the town’s “Christians remain a living community and not a mere memory of the past.” (Due acknowledgement to’Aid to the Church in Need, Magazine Summer 2026: https://heyzine.com/flipbook/6c13c05d80.html#page/4 )
Ahead of the Second Reading and vote in the House of Commons for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life Bill) on Friday 11 September, the Communications Directorate of the Bishops' Conference has produced a poster to encourage Catholics to write to their MPs. The poster has a scannable QR code, that is linked to the Oppose Assisted Suicide section on the Bishops' Conference website. The page can also be found at: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/opposing-assisted-suicide/ . The page has various resources, copies of statements and guidance on writing to your MP. A useful video to watch, from SPUC can be found at:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf2OCZ1OrT4
Fr. Charles Howell will be taking a sabbatical as of the autumn and there is no priest to take his place! As a consequence, there will have to be adjustments of Mass times across all of the churches in the existing Epsom Deanery so that Mass will continue to be offered at both Fetcham and Effingham. Various scenarios have been suggested but nothing definite has been decided as yet, however, we do need to be prepared for a change in Mass times at the weekend. This is the ‘account of the conversation that clergy have had’ mentioned above. Do see the deanery newsletter for further details.
Since our parish meeting 18 months ago the parish core team has been busy in various ways, and with Fr. Charles Howell leaving Fetcham and Effingham, it would be worthwhile to share what has been happening. To such an end, there will be an open parish meeting on Sunday 6th September after the 10.00 am Mass. The agenda will consist of a finance report, the work which the core team has been doing and the changes within the existing Epsom Deanery to facilitate the pastoral provision of Sunday Mass for the parish of Effingham and Fetcham. An additional concern to be addressed is the request from the Diocese, is the need for about 12 people to be trained in First Aid, assistance to cope with ‘bad weather conditions’ and ‘fire wardens’ in the event of such emergencies.
A reminder to parents of the changes to school admissions policies where schools, such as St. Andrew’s, Leatherhead, are over-subscribed. PLEASE SEE THE DETAIL on the parish web-site at: https://www.sjcc.org.uk/schools A certificate of Catholic practice, will now, likely be required, such certificate can only be given where there is weekly attendance at Mass for at least two years.
Assisted Dying Bill: Call to Action (Sussex),Wednesday 5 August, 7pm St Michael’s RC Church, Worthing, BN13 3AL. Join Dr Dominic Whitehouse, Consultant in End of Life Care , as he explains the current position on the Assisted Dying Bill, which is due to be voted on, for the second time, in the House of Commons on 11 September - it is essential to contact your MP to urge that they vote against the Bill, even if you contacted them last year. No need to book, all are welcome.
On Thursday, 16th July 2026, Lauren Edwards MP published her assisted suicide Bill which is near-identical to Kim Leadbeater’s deeply flawed and unsafe Bill from the previous parliamentary session. It retains dozens of serious flaws identified by Royal Colleges, professional bodies, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and disability, mental health and domestic abuse charities. The Bill was published on the day MPs left Westminster for the summer recess, leaving them very little parliamentary time to examine it before its Second Reading on Friday 11 September. By bringing back the Bill in near-identical form, its supporters are also keeping open the highly controversial possibility of using the Parliament Acts to force it into law if the House of Lords does not pass it again. This makes the vote on 11 September even more important. TAKE ACTION We have just updated our Support Not Suicide campaign email tool. The campaign page will look familiar, but the email your MP receives now explains what has been published today, why the proposed use of the Parliament Acts is so concerning and why MPs must vote NO at Second Reading on 11 September. Even if you have contacted your MP before, please write to them again using this updated tool. This is new information that your MP needs to see. Please click the button below to contact your MP now . Every email helps demonstrate that there is serious and growing opposition to bringing back the same unsafe Bill and attempting to force it into law. A useful video to watch, from SPUC can be found at:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf2OCZ1OrT4
The Dorking foodbank is looking for the following items this month: honey, marmalade, coffee, tea, washing tablets and razors but all personal hygiene items (body wash, shampoo) and non-perishable food are always gratefully received. If you are able please donate to the Foodbank Box inside the side door and it will be taken to the depot by members of our congregation. Alternatively, consider donating on line to the Trussell Trust which runs foodbanks throughout the country.
Admissions to Catholic Schools and the Certificate of Catholic Practice: -The Diocesan Education Service has updated its Admission Policies to bring it in line with the National Catholic Education Service and to ensure compliance with the mandatory School Admission Code which all Admission Authorities are legally required to follow. Our schools will still prioritise Catholic applicants and a certificate of Baptism will still be used to identify this. This will eventually remove the requirement to seek a parish priest’s signature on the Supplementary Information Forms' (SIFs). However, in any case where a school is oversubscribed with Catholic applicants, it will be necessary to rank further the Catholic applicants. To do this a 'Certificate of Catholic Practice' (CCP) will be used in which the local priest(s) will affirm that 'this child and his/her family are known to me and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the child is from a practising Catholic family'. (The Guidance from the Diocese, following the National Catholic Education Service model, states that for the purposes of the Certificate of Catholic Practice, a person is a practising Catholic if they observe the Church’s precept of attending Mass on Sundays and holidays of obligation.) This certificate will be needed for those applying from this autumn for a place at St Andrew’s for Admission in September 2027, and going forward. Initially, in moving to a new system, the onus will be on parish clergy to make a judgement on these matters. However, Deanery clergy and the Diocesan Education Service are working on a form for use in coming years whereby families can indicate and celebrate their participation at Mass; indeed families should regard the change as a reminder of the need to be engaged with the life of the local Church, that is, the parish – not simply because they desire a school place for their child but because it is first and foremost their faith community, because worshipping God and being fed by Christ in word and Sacrament is what we are about and because, as children of God, families want their children to be supported in their journey of faith. More comprehensive details can be found on the parish and St. Joseph’s School web sites and the bright yellow coloured sheet on the shelf by the side entrance of the church.